Which epiphyseal plate is closed at birth?

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Multiple Choice

Which epiphyseal plate is closed at birth?

The main idea here is that growth plates fuse at different times, so some bones stop lengthening very early. In the horse’s front limb, the distal phalanx (the coffin bone, referred to as P3) has its growth plate closed right at birth, so that plate cannot contribute to further growth after birth. That makes the epiphyseal plate at P3 the one that is closed at birth. The other plates—those at the proximal and middle phalanges (P1 and P2) and the distal end of the cannon bone (distal cannon)—are still open at birth, allowing continued growth as the foal matures. This distinction helps when reading radiographs and assessing maturity in newborn foals.

The main idea here is that growth plates fuse at different times, so some bones stop lengthening very early. In the horse’s front limb, the distal phalanx (the coffin bone, referred to as P3) has its growth plate closed right at birth, so that plate cannot contribute to further growth after birth. That makes the epiphyseal plate at P3 the one that is closed at birth.

The other plates—those at the proximal and middle phalanges (P1 and P2) and the distal end of the cannon bone (distal cannon)—are still open at birth, allowing continued growth as the foal matures. This distinction helps when reading radiographs and assessing maturity in newborn foals.

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